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Obesity is associated with such diseases as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular problems, hypertension, stroke, and some forms of cancer. RAND has investigated and continues to research the complicated interaction between environmental and genetic factors that contribute to the adult and childhood obesity crisis in the United States.

Significant links were found between depression, poor nutrition, and obesity in a low-income, primarily African-American “food desert” in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mental health interventions may have broader benefits in this population.

A Los Angeles ordinance designed to curb obesity in low-income areas by restricting the opening of new fast-food restaurants has failed to reduce fast-food consumption or obesity. Since the restrictions were passed in 2008, overweight and obesity rates in neighborhoods targeted by the law have increased faster than in other parts of the city or other parts of the county.

In June, the FDA gave manufacturers three years to remove artificial trans fat from the food supply. This is an important step, but solving the problem of diet-related chronic diseases is much more complex than banning a single additive.

Adverse events in childhood can indelibly influence adult health. While evidence for this association has mounted, a fundamental set of questions about how to operationalize adverse events has been understudied.

A growing body of evidence has highlighted an association between a lack of access to nutritious, affordable food (e.g., through full-service grocery stores [FSGs]), poor diet, and increased risk for obesity.

Everyone needs food, water, and shelter, yet society offers protective standards and regulations for just two of these three essentials. Food regulations focus on preventing illnesses like botulism, but when it comes to chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes, regulations offer little protection to U.S. consumers.

The Mekong Basin Disease Surveillance cooperation (MBDS) is one of several sub-regional disease surveillance networks that have emerged in recent years as an approach to transnational cooperation for infectious disease prevention and control.

A Los Angeles ordinance designed to curb obesity in low-income areas by restricting the opening of new fast-food restaurants has failed to reduce fast-food consumption or obesity. Since the restrictions were passed in 2008, overweight and obesity rates in neighborhoods targeted by the law have increased faster than in other parts of the city or other parts of the county.

A Los Angeles ordinance designed to curb obesity in low-income areas by restricting the opening of new fast-food restaurants has failed to reduce fast-food consumption or obesity. Since the restrictions were passed in 2008, overweight and obesity rates in neighborhoods targeted by the law have increased faster than in other parts of the city or other parts of the county.

Significant links were found between depression, poor nutrition, and obesity in a low-income, primarily African-American “food desert” in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mental health interventions may have broader benefits in this population.

Thirty percent of all supermarket sales can be attributed to end-of-aisle displays, where retailers have placed more foods that increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Relocating those foods to less conspicuous places would still allow those who want them to get them, but the decision to buy would be deliberate rather than impulsive.

A close look at marketing tactics (like special displays and price cuts) in Pittsburgh "food deserts" revealed that stores allocate more price reductions to low-nutrient foods than to healthy choices. These strategies are associated with increased body mass among regular shoppers, but more research is needed to confirm a causal link to obesity.

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Researcher Spotlight

Senior Economist

Roland Sturm is a senior economist at the RAND Corporation and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, where he teaches advanced econometrics. He is the author of 150 scientific publications. Sturm's research has focused on how urban design and neighborhood characteristics affect…

Senior Natural Scientist

Deborah Cohen is a senior natural scientist at the RAND Corporation. She is the author of A Big Fat Crisis: The Hidden Influences Behind the Obesity Epidemic—and How We Can End It. Her areas of interest include how structural environmental factors—social and physical—influence…

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